We've got seven mainline entries, multiple remakes, historical spin-offs, zombie shooters and more, yet all the titles in the Yakuza franchise have featured distinct and high quality musical scores. These games always manage to do a wonderful job conveying the setting and vibe of each title through their soundtracks. For example, Yakuza 2 highlights the more lavish easygoing atmosphere of Osaka, by introduced a jazzy vibe throughout it's score and uses licensed music from the great Crazy Ken Band. Yakuza 0 features a high-energy, rock filled score that fits great within the 1988 Japanese financial bubble setting. Yakuza 6, which is advertised as the final act in Kiryu's journey, has a much more subdued, somber and intimate track list, which unfortunately didn't entirely make it to the west. Regardless, the Yakuza team puts a lot of work into creating a unique tone in each entry through incredibly enjoyable and memorable music.
Besides conveying atmosphere and tone, the Yakuza OSTs always succeed in pumping up, or hyping fights, which I'd argue is very important in a brawler. You're going to be beating up a lot of punks in the Yakuza games, so you gotta have some hype as hell music to keep it engaging.
Check out how much this song helps build tension and excitement for this fight against the Yakuza 0 antagonist Kuze. *Spoiler mid-game Yakuza 0*
(The song is at the start of the video)
It's also been pretty awesome watching the theme Receive You show up with a new remix in almost every entry, including the games set in Edo period Japan. It was originally one of the main themes to the first game, but it's now often used to characterize fights with series favorite, Majima.
I Yakuza 1 I Yakuza 2 I Yakuza Kenzan I Yakuza 3 I Yakuza 4 Yakuza 4 I Yakuza 5 I
I Yakuza Ishin Yakuza Ishin I Yakuza 0 Yakuza 0 I Yakuza Kiwami Yakuza Kiwami I Yakuza 6 I Yakuza Kiwami 2 I Hokuto ga Gotoku I
So please, share some of your favorite tracks from the Yakuza games you've played. Be it the from the OST, the licensed music, Karaoke
I'll start with one of my favorites, Yakuza 3's theme, Fly. Specifically the variant of the song used in the final battle. I think of Okinawa every time I hear this song.
And Yakuza 2's standard encounter theme, Outlaw's Lullaby.
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